Not applicable
Not applicable
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to dischargeable hand weapons and in particular to methods and apparatuses for reducing the criminal usefulness of such weapons.
2. Description of Related Art
Colts has reportedly produced a prototype of a handgun that can be fired only by a person authorized to fire it.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,423,142, 5,192,818, and 5,068,989 disclose several methods and apparatuses for reducing the criminal usefulness of dischargeable hand weapons.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,682,435 discloses a safety system for selectively disabling a firearm.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,672,763 discloses a device for preventing the unauthorized firing of a weapon.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,563,827 discloses a safety system for disabling a firearm.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,488,370 discloses a weapon system and method for controlling the operation of a weapon to prevent it from being accidentally operated or operated by an unauthorized person.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,154,014 discloses an apparatus for preventing unauthorized activation of a touch-operable device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,003,152 discloses a safety system for firearms.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,400,393 discloses a safety mechanism that prevents a weapon form being discharged while aimed toward a source of electromagnetic waves.
Dischargeable hand weapons are popular for defense of persons and for hunting. Reducing the criminal usefulness of those weapons would save many lives and reduce injuries and poaching. There are several ways of accomplishing this. One way is by limiting the areas of usefulness. Accordingly, the main object of this invention is to provide methods and means for preventing the discharging of a hand weapon in locations where discharging of the weapon is not allowed.
The location of any object can be determined from information of its distance from at least three known locations (triangulation). Because all radio waves travel at the speed of light, one can also use at least three radio signals and time information to calculate an object""s location. This method will work either by sending radio signals from three different locations to one radio receiver or by sending the radio signals from the location in question to receivers at three different locations. Both GPS (global positioning system) and cellular telephone technologies that can determine the locations of 911 calls use radio signals to determine locations. Because of altitude and other considerations, more precise locations can be obtained by using more than three radio signals or averaging several location determinations. Memory storage technology can provide a means for storing the information of where the discharging of a hand weapon is allowed. It is therefore an object of this invention to combine that technology with the radio wave location determining technology to determine if a dischargeable hand weapon is at a location where its discharging is allowed and to prevent it from discharging if it is not. For example, a handgun that is kept in a certain house for defense and is used for hunting in a certain area where hunting is allowed, will thereby be prevented from firing in all other areas. Thus, this invention will reduce the criminal usefulness of a hand weapon by making it useless for crimes outside of its allowed discharging areas while allowing it to be useful for defense in homes and businesses and for hunting.